inspirationsframing.co.uk

"Little Cuties" Denise Di Battista

ArtSure is the independent scheme which offers consumers assurance that quality inks and papers have been used to produce a digital print.

The scheme also offers traceability of print editions, through a database on the ArtSure section of the Fine Art Trade Guild website.

The independent quality assurance scheme for digital prints

The Fine Art Trade Guild has been the leading print registration authority since it was founded in 1847 as the Printsellers Association, with the name changing in 1910. Registered prints were marked with the Guild’s embossed stamp and number code, and have been highly valued by generations of print collectors.

ArtSure is the modern face of this great tradition and we are confident that collectors of prints will come to rely on the ArtSure scheme in the
same way.

Since digital inkjet printing has become widespread, it is now easier for people with little understanding of print quality, longevity issues and colour values to produce what look like fine art prints. However, poor quality prints may not stand the test of time.

The original Guild stamp of quality

Browse the ArtSure print editions database for free

Print buyers should look for the ArtSure logo and the print edition registration number. This may be on the print, Certificate of Authenticity or on promotional materials. The ArtSure logo on a member’s website confirms their participation in the scheme.


Everyone is encouraged to browse the freely
searchable ArtSure database on the Guild website to check the quality and provenance of any registered print edition they are considering. They should also be able to view a thumbnail of the image. A copy of the ArtSure print edition registration certificate can be downloaded at no cost.

‘NY 34ST’ Colin Ruffell

ArtSure gives you reassurance of print quality plus traceability

Normally, when a sheet of paper is taken from a pack or from a roll and an image printed on it, all identification of the paper and of the inks is left behind.

A buyer of the print has to rely on the information that is given to them by the retailer.

Buyers choosing a digital fine art print from an ArtSure participant and from an edition registered on the ArtSure database can be confident of the quality of the inks and papers used in its production.

Only Guild members can participate in the ArtSure scheme.

‘Clifton Suspension Bridge’ Peter McDermott

Each Guild member has pledged to abide by the Guild’s code of ethics. This means that buyers can be confident of the ArtSure scheme’s integrity at every stage.

Each participating Guild member has a participant’s number. Each print edition has an ArtSure registration number related to it. This might be on the edge of the print, on the Certificate of Authenticity, on a label, on a leaflet or on the participant’s website.

Searching the database at www.fineart.co.uk is very easy. Go to the website home page and clicking on the ArtSure icon takes you to the ArtSure section home page.

What quality standards do ArtSure inks and papers have to meet?

The Guild’s print quality standards are tried and tested, having been established for many years. Those standards remain exactly the same for digital prints within the ArtSure scheme.

Inks must score 6 or more on the Blue Wool Scale, or its equivalent, under empirical test conditions. Papers must have a pH reading between 7 and 9 and with a minimum weight of 250gsm.

Does ArtSure offer a guarantee against the print fading?

No. No one can offer such a guarantee, as the conditions for display or storage of any print can vary so much. ArtSure retailer participants will offer expert advice on how to minimise the risk of fading.

This includes quality framing, the use of speciality glass in the frame, hanging away from sunlight, suitable lighting, levels of humidity and more.

‘Red Tea’ John Withey

What about the size of a print edition?

The ArtSure scheme focuses on the quality of inks and papers. However, participating image makers are all Fine Art Trade Guild members and are bound by the Guild’s code of ethics.

Where a limited edition is being published, the Guild recommends that the edition size is kept below 850, including artists’ proofs, worldwide. Use of the image in any other form must be declared.

No further editions of a print should be published featuring all or part of an existing limited edition image. The Certificate of
Authenticity and the ArtSure registration certificate must declare any other uses of the image.

If a print is produced as an open edition, and the inks and paper used meet ArtSure standards, then the publisher, if an ArtSure participant, can say so. Open edition prints might not be registered on the database.

Will ArtSure registration mean that a print is more valuable?

‘‘The greatest value in a piece of art is the pleasure it gives you”

No registration can make a print more valuable. However, ArtSure registration gives you, and any future owner, assurance that the print has been produced with proven quality inks and paper. It also shows provenance.

What should I do if I have a problem with a print from an edition which is registered on the ArtSure database?

First step is to go back to your retailer, explain the matter and try to resolve it amicably. If the problem persists, please get in contact with the Fine Art Trade Guild and they will take up the matter on your behalf.

 

 

Thanks to these artists for the use of their artwork:
Denise Di Battista www.artofwales.com
Peter McDermott www.yourdoricmor.com
Colin Ruffell www.colinruffell.com
John Withey www.illumino.co.uk

Fine Art Trade Guild
2 Wye House, 6 Enterprise Way, London SW18 1FZ
[email protected] Tel: 020 7381 6616
www.fineart.co.uk

The Fine Art Trade Guild logo is a registered trademark of the Fine Art Trade Guild. The ArtSure™ logo is a trademark of the Guild.

All the wording in this leaflet is Copyright. No logo, image or wording may be reused in any media without written permission of the Guild.